Crabtree might not run 40 during personal workout
February 25, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS – Michael Crabtree might not perform in front of NFL scouts, after all.
The top-rated receiver in this year’s draft told NFL Network on Tuesday there was only a 50-50 chance he would run at his personal workout next month in Lubbock, Texas.
On Saturday, doctors at the league’s annual scouting combine diagnosed a stress fracture in his left foot and recommended surgery to insert a screw. Rehabilitation is expected to take 10 weeks or more, meaning Crabtree wouldn’t be able to work out for scouts before the draft if the procedure was done soon. The draft is April 25-26.
On Sunday, Crabtree changed his plans. He said he would delay surgery until after his personal workout. But that could change.
“It’s 50-50,” Crabtree told the television network by phone Tuesday. “I’m going to take some time and evaluate it.”
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There already are questions about how his condition might affect his draft status. Before the combine, most projected the record-setting Texas Tech receiver to be among the top five picks – and he still might be.
But he measured 6-foot-1 – two inches shorter than his listed height at Texas Tech, creating a potential concern for teams that thought he fit the mold of a taller receiver such as Randy Moss or Larry Fitzgerald.
There could be additional questions about his durability. Crabtree spent part of last season dealing with a right ankle injury and now there are questions about his foot.
With none of the usual statistics to evaluate – such as the 40-yard dash and 20-yard shuttle – scouts could have a difficult time assessing Crabtree against such receivers as Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin or Florida’s Percy Harvin.
“He has a history, and his history is pretty good,” Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith said Saturday. “I think he’ll be OK.”
Over the past two seasons at Texas Tech, Crabtree put together a resume worthy of being the first receiver selected in April.
He won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver each of the past two years, the first repeat winner since the honor was established in 1994. He also earned All-America honors the past two seasons.
As a freshman, Crabtree caught 134 passes for 1,962 yards and 22 TDs – all national bests and NCAA freshman records. Last season, he caught another 97 passes for 1,165 yards and 19 touchdowns despite being slowed by the ankle injury.
“Initially, we thought that I could play on the foot, but as we got closer to the combine we realized that I have to get this fixed,” he said.